Relaxed McGuigan answers late call with top show

MAN of the match Byron McGuigan admits being called up to the Scotland starting XV just 25 minutes before kick-off yesterday meant that he was more relaxed than he might have been had he had too long to think about it.

And the 28-year-old Namibian-born winger certainly looked like he was enjoying the experience, running in two tries on his first international start as the home side thumped Australia 53-24 at BT Murrayfield.

He qualifies for Scotland through his Glaswegian mother and she was in the stands, along with a number of other family members, to watch the Sale Sharks man flourish in only his second cap.

Reflecting on the day, he said: ‘It’s been amazing. Obviously I was meant to start on the bench, so to get told I was starting was quite exciting — I wasn’t really nervous, though.

‘To come away with the man-of-the-match award was an awesome feeling, I’m really happy.

‘It was 25 minutes before kick-off that I was told I was being promoted from the bench to the wing because Stuart Hogg was dropping out, so pretty late.

‘However, during the week we had prepped just in case because Hoggy had felt a couple of niggles, so we knew what kind of shape we would have in the back-line should he fail to make it.

‘If I had known I was starting on Friday night I might have thought about it a bit more. Instead, I was quite relaxed and the news was just sprung on me, so I was pretty calm.’

And McGuigan, who has previously played for Scotland Sevens and the ‘A’ team, fed off the energy of the crowd, who were in fine fettle after the team pushed New Zealand so close last week.

‘The longer you play rugby, the more you realise you just need to enjoy it, so to play in front of a sold-out Murrayfield, you just have to enjoy every moment, enjoy the crowd and feed off the energy,’ he said.

‘I was lucky to get myself involved early on. I had a good carry and from there the confidence just grew.

‘I’m very lucky with the ball players we have in the back-line. It’s quite easy as a winger to play when you have guys inside you doing their job.

‘It’s such a great environment to be in and it makes you hungrier to be involved and work hard. There are quality players all over the place, which makes you increase the level that you train at.

‘The last few weeks and my first involvement with Scotland has been very enjoyable. I’ve come into camp very open minded and worked hard. The players are such a great bunch and they have made everything much easier.

‘Over the years, Scotland has just been getting better and the last few years since the 2015 World Cup has showed that.

‘From the management down to the players, everyone is working very hard, it’s very good.’

It is some kind of fairy tale story for a player who might have thought his Scotland hopes had gone when he left Glasgow Warriors in 2014.

‘I learned a lot at Glasgow and then we had a very good coach at Exeter in the shape of Ali Hepher. He helped me to think and get in scoring positions,’ stated McGuigan.

‘Over the years and since I moved to Sale, I was always hopeful of getting a Scotland call. I worked hard and waited. My mum is Scottish so growing up, I always watched Scotland play and that’s always been the dream, to play for them.’